3/23/2009 @ 6:00PM

In Depth: Japan's Up-And-Coming Baseball Stars

Yu Darvish

Position: Starting Pitcher

Team: Nippon Ham Fighters

2008 Stats: 201 IP, 136 H, 208 K, 1.88 ERA, 16 W

Age: 22

Young, good looking and the best pitcher around, Darvish now plays for the Nippon Ham Fighters in northern Hokkaido, but is expected to head to the U.S. just as soon as an MLB team can get its hands on him. Expect a big payday for Nippon Ham if they offer Darvish for posting; Stevens thinks it could exceed the $50 million that Daisuke Matsuzaka brought in for his team.